People can look at the same thing and see different things in it. I look at this and see a beautiful mix of colors and the wonders of nature....others may look at it and see it as scary or even dismal....some may see it as Gods canvas (thus maybe seeing something similar but not quite the same as what I see in it) It doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong to see it in a different light but people can learn to be respectful of the fact that they CAN see the same things differently.
*note before I get started though I may say Christians in a general term sort of way I try to make sure I say a lot of or some not all with it....if I leave that out of a sentence where I have put that term please mentally insert it. I believe that each person is an individual and not all hold the same beliefs or opinions. ....
I have had the topic of religion come up a LOT lately and while I make efforts to stay away from said topic it has really drawn me in as of late. First of all came the story about a wiccan bulletin board in the classroom of our local school. I saw the story first on a friends post that had reposted a picture someone had taken of it along with a plea to make complaints. The friend (catholic) felt as I did that it was an all or nothing type thing. You either let all the religions represent themselves or none of them get to. CHannel 5 news story I was trying to find the facebook article on it but couldn't. I had (along with several others) left numerous comments on that. I was pleased to find there was actually a lot of support for educating the public on Wicca and other Pagan religions. Anyway a bit of background is that the employee had put the bulletin board up as part of a religious cultures around the world display. There were others as well such as a manger scene etc. What bothers me is the parent who induced other parents to call seems to be (as many are) completely basing their issue with the display on lack of knowledge or inaccurate knowledge on the topic. I appreciate that may of my friends and acquaintances while they are Christian at least make an attempt to understand or educate themselves about other religions and beliefs and realize that to understand what they are about does not make them a threat to their own nor does it mean they need to convert. Just to understand where someone else is coming from. It upsets me that most of the time when reading the comments section of any story like that (with this one being an exception as the comments were mostly positive) that the Christians (not all of course but a good number) who reply are automatically in attack mode. They make comments that are bullying and contain a nastiness that is not needed and does not reflect the nature they claim to be of by any means. I honestly don't think many of them even realize they are doing this and would like for them to take a moment to stop and read what they've written. Does it simply state their opinion on the subject or was it meant to demean and bully someone of another belief? (same goes for anyone really and for all topics not just religion) People really do tend to lose all tact when replying via internet to anything because you aren't speaking to someone face to face but that of course is a well known thing. I have noticed though that in this particular case Christians get really nasty. Telling people they are going to burn in hell (granted this is their belief but the context in which they use it is meant to bash not to extend that hey this is what they believe in regards to what I am talking about here) Telling them that all people who are not Christians leave the country. Um I was born and raised here....I am part Cherokee and Creek two of the tribes native to this region....I am a legal citizen...try again?? You will see a lot of them accusing pagans, wiccans, etc of devil worship....if you knew anything at all about any of it you would know they don't believe in the devil. Also Wicca is to Paganism as say Babtist is to Christianity. Just a sect. Just as technically Buddhism can be considered Paganism as the very definition of Pagan is not Christian and well Buddhist fits into that. Pagans do not believe in harming others and actually a lot of or most sects believe that if you were to do so it would come back on you 3 times over. Contrary to Christian beliefs members of other religions and even atheists can have morals. Morals are not something that belong specifically to a particular religion. It is something that a person needs to have and an instinct that tells them right from wrong based on how it affects others as well. Also an interesting thing I feel the need to insert here is there are a lot of things Christians have adopted from the Pagan religions. Such as the Christmas tree (Yule Tree or bringing in the greens) The Easter egg and Easter bunny (meant to represent fertility and new growth) etc. At one time the dates of certain Christian celebrations were changed to coincide with Pagan ones. Before you down or belittle something at least know SOMETHING about it. I've found a lot that also don't seem to believe you could possibly be happy or content with your religion if you are not Christian. I can say that isn't true. While I will be happy for a Christian who is happy with their religion I will also say I am happy with mine. I felt whole again when I reached that point. This is a fairly good idea of what I am Ecclectic Pagan Two of the faiths that have the most influence for me are Buddhism and a mixture of Native American beliefs. I did dabble with Wicca a bit and it was close but not quite my path. I think people spend an eternity searching paths for answers. Those journeys are part of what makes up life in general. You may walk a different path from someone but that doesn't make yours or theirs right or wrong. It just may be that yours is meant for you and theirs for them. Anyway I got off topic there a bit...well sort of. The thing with the school. I think parents got upset because of the one parent who had a fit about it. Apparently the kids really didn't even notice til the parents made a stink. The thing is the parents made it an issue because it was something they didn't understand so they feared it. They seemed to have based these fears on what they may have seen in horror stories or on movies etc. Not on how people of that religion actually are. Rather than educate themselves first they reacted with fear. They thought they were protecting their kids from something evil which it is not but an educated discussion with the kids would have been much better. Something along the lines of We believe in this but some people believe in that. How hard is that people? Not everything else is a threat to you and to be honest more people are likely to experiment with ideas and such that they are not familiar with due to curiosity. If you don't talk to them and they have tunnel vision thinking that all the world believes as they do they are more likely to bully others who are different. I've seen this in action and it is the kids AND adults doing it though the adults are more to blame because they set the kids up for doing it by this being something the kids seeing the adults doing and thinking that is how it is. It is a viscous cycle. They didn't show the same upset or fear for the other religions represented in the display ....why? Because they probably knew a bit more about them. They got upset that the manger had to come down. Did you not expect the school to have to show equality? I even heard people ask why the person who put up the board was not fired. Um they did nothing illegal or wrong. We are reaching a point of change. Just as others are fighting for their rights and to be recognized as equals so are the religions and the Christians are fighting it ..hard though thankfully there are a growing number who bother to educate themselves and realize that just because others have equal rights is not a threat to their own. Another thing that came up in the news recently is the monuments that are proposed to go up in OKC. This is where I find I must mention the news media. If you will noticed there are several monuments that are proposed to go up but the one getting all the attention is the Baphomet one. (the one all the Christians are referring to as Satan.... mainly because they probably don't know otherwise AND because this is who the media says it is also because it is a Satanic group that is putting it up....anyway I'll get back to that) Now then. Other monuments are the Buddhist (what no problem with that one? me neither but I point it out because the media didn't focus on that because it doesn't irritate Christians) and the Flying spaghetti monster (C'mon) I feel like the monuments for the most part are a publicity stunt but more so to make a point and start discussions on religious equality. This is something people have been trying to do for a long time but I guess they finally found something that would make it almost inescapable. Something to point out that Christians (please keep in mind that I do not mean all but a lot of them) cry out that their religions (yes plural as there are many branches) and beliefs are being attacked while at the same time proclaiming theirs should be the only one allowed in the US or at least our state. They get upset when they are not allowed to display something of theirs OR when another religion IS allowed to display something of theirs. It is a two way street and that is the point of the discussion. All or None. We don't really have so much of a problem with you putting yours up but you also must realize your is not the only religions recognized or allowed in the US OR practiced and believed. We are tired of having to stand by silently and have someone hollering that we are attacking their rights when we only want equality for ours. Now then This is where the media REALLY comes in. If you really pay attention you will see where this "war on religion" is mostly based. Yes in the media. They love to provoke the sides against one another. Pagans and atheists (and whomever else) for the most part are really not against Christians as much as you think. We are only against the bullying and belittling and the high horse that some think they are on. If you really pay attention they are really good at wording things just right to anger one side against another. Such as a story I saw recently. There was a group of humanists (probably a rather small faction) that had an issue with a Christian group collecting toys for the poor something to do with a school. The thing is the media presented it as a non-Christian group. Okay generally true however they made it sound as if it was as if it were a much broader group and left the Christians to believe it was atheists or pagans and incited them against them when they had nothing to do with it and in fact most would actually have donated to the drive themselves didn't matter who was running it. Also most were upset as well that someone would stop a toy drive like that. Christians generally don't see this though sadly. Again it comes down to education and research. They said nothing in this story to indicate it was a humanist group who did this and let the Christians believe they were being attacked "yet again" by atheists and Pagans and such. Leading them to make rude snide comments about it. Really sometime when a topic of religion comes up go in and read the comments and see what a majority of the Christians sound like on those. They do not exude the loving, generous, nice type personality there that they proclaim to have. Something that in general they may not display otherwise. I went to a private Christian school as a kid and to be honest there was just as much bullying etc there as anywhere else. I had a co-student that moved to another state as an adult (as well as others) that said it wasn't til they left our local area that they even realized there was anything else out there. I've actually heard a lot of people say that. That is the kind of damage that tunnel vision type mentality can cause. It teaches fear of others and less tolerance of those that are different so next time you come across someone that is different instead of reacting with fear or like you feel threatened by them...be a little curious. Ask questions they will more than likely be happy to provide you with answers at no cost of yourself (your beliefs etc) to you. We are going through a shift or change right now and those always take some adjusting.
*another factoid In God we Trust was not added to our money til 1957 on paper money US Mint
One nation under God was not added to the pledge of allegiance til later either Pledge original and with addition
Some fun twitters to follow these are parody accounts of the monuments: Drunk Legislator Flying spaghetti monster Baphomet statue 10 Commandments statue
